Vita Iacio Veritas
by potterfanxp123
Summary: When Xander Harris' fiance dies under mysterious circumstances, it's up to him and the Scooby gang to find out who killed her, and why.
1. Denial

**TITLE: Veritas** **DISCLAIMER:** _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ and _Smallville_ are not mine. They are property of their respective creators, Joss Whedon and Al Gough/Miles Millar respectively. I own nothing.

Answer to **Challenge 3395: Xander Harris: Undercover** on Twisting the Hellmouth by ALCM with only a minor change. It is my firm opinion that the entire debacle that was "Traveler/Veritas" was because of Clark, so he will be an intricate part of the story, even if Xander doesn't know it yet...

It wasn't possible, yet the evidence was there, displayed for the world to see. As he stared at the television in disbelief, his closest friends surrounding him giving him unspoken support, Xander Harris repeated this matra in his head.

It just wasn't possible, as far as he was concerned. There was no way in any of the infinite multiverse that his luck could be this outrageously _bad._

"Xander," Willow's pity voice broke through his reverie. He turned, his unmoistened eyes looking at her with a curiousity that he'd never shown the witch before. "Are you alright?" she said, as if repeating herself.

"I"m fine, why wouldn't I be?" Xander asked, picking up his phone for the first time that day. Willow looked at him, he could feel the penetration of her resolve face glaring at him though he tried to mask it.

"Xander?" she asked him again.

Content as he was to ignore her, as he was the report on the television that just had to be wrong, Xander answered her. "I'm sure someone read their report wrong, Willow. She's fine, see, I'm even calling her now."

"Xander, I just heard," he vaguely heard Buffy rush through the door dressed in her Slaying outfit. She ran over to him, and grabbed him in a bone-breaking hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear, as tears fell onto his shoulder.

"Buffy, nothings wrong, I must have a bad signal or something. I'll go up to my room, you know the signal down her sucks."

As he walked away, he could have swore he heard Willow say, "Denial."

As he reached the door to his room, a jaunty whistle escaping his lips, Xander again dialed the number he knew by heart.

Before he could press the dial button, though, his Voice Message tune activated. A smile erupted from his lips, as he saw that the message was from his soon-to-be fiance.

Opening the message, Xander pressed the phone to his ear.

_"Xander," her voice rung out as lovely as the day they met and he introduced himself as her future husband. "If you're getting this message, I've died."_

As he dropped the phone, a scream of rage filled the hallway outside of his room. The sound chilled those listening to the depths of their soul.

_End, Chapter_


	2. Rage and Bargaining

**TITLE: Veritas**

Rage filled his heart at the words that were displayed across the television for the world to see. Oh, let's all make Xander look like a fool. Let's let him get his hopes up, only to shatter them. He knew, he knew without a doubt they were _laughing at him. **LAUGHING!**_

He picked up the closest thing to him, a vase that Patricia had given him for his twenty-third birthday that came from her father's collections and threw it to the wall. As it shattered, he watched the water pool on the carpet of their formerly shared bedroom.

Ran over to the fallen pieces, picking them up hurriedly and placing the onto the bed, ignoring the scraps and cuts along his skin as the jagged, rough pieces tore at him, like the news tore at his heart.

He heard knocking on the door to his room, and his eyes lit up. Willow! She'd know, she could fix this. She was a witch.

"Come in!" he said. The one to enter his room was most definately not Willow. She had the wrong hair color for one. Not that he wasn't glad to see the blonde haired Slayer, but she wasn't Willow.

"Buffy?" he asked, trying to see if she were real. The blonde nodded. "Where's Willow, she can fix this. Willow can make it better."

Buffy cursed, something she seemed to do whenever there was bad news to deliver. Or she'd lost a bet. "Xander, you know that Willow can't do what you're asking."

"Yes, yes she can. She's Willow, an uber-powerful witch! I've got all the ingredients already! See, something owned, blood of the summoner, hair of the summoned. Come on, it's only one little spell."

"Xander," Buffy said, grabbing his arms and holding him tight. "You know that's what she means. The cost, Xander, think of the cost."

"The cost! What cost, I'd give anything to have her back. Come on, she summoned Angel's soul, for crying out loud. All I want is the love of my life back!"

"Xander," Buffy sighed, "that was completely different, and you know it. Angel's soul was in limbo, it hadn't already moved on. You know when a demon takes over a human host, their unable to pass-on. Patricia wasn't taken over, she was _murdered_. To bring her back, Willow would have to sacrifice someone elses life."

"We didn't for you!" Xander cried. Buffy sighed. Of course he'd think that. "Yes we did, Xander. Tara, remember. Willow summoned _me_ from the beyond, and lost Tara in return. She paid the cost, not you."

Xander's tear-filled eye looked at her, as Buffy pulled him to her for another hug. "I'm so sorry, Xander. I wish we could do something, but not that. Never that, never again."

"Tara?" Xander asked, as the shock sunk in. And he was about to ask Willow to sacrifice someone, _again_.

"Yeah. But, I promise you, we'll get to the bottom of this, Xander. Patricia was one of ours, you know we'd never let her death go unanswered.

Xander cried, as he had for the past half-hour, this time into the strongest shoulders that he knew of.

_End, Chapter_


	3. Decisions

**TITLE: Veritas**

The next day, Xander made his way down the stairs looking as if the weight of the world was on his overly-burdened shoulders. She was dead, and he could not figure out _why_. He'd not had the strength to check her voice message last night, afraid that what he heard would be too much to bear.

He'd been tempted last night, to take that final step. He knew it would be all to easy, just to leap off the balcony of his second story window, the only problem he could think of? Knowing his luck, which as yesterday's events had shown, was exceptionally bad, he'd be caught by Buffy or one of the other sixty-five Slayers in the hotel.

Now, as he entered the living room, his gaze looked to the television where his group of friends were watching the updates on the news. He looked at the clock hanging to his left and noticed it was just after one in the afternoon.

"Xander," Buffy said, as if surprised to see him awake. He looked, as Willow hastily turned the T.V. to something less... depressing. His two best friends stood, then, and walked over to him and wrapped him in a hug that seemed to say it all.

"How?" he asked. There was no need to elaborate. Buffy sighed.

"She drowned, at least that's the official story. They found her car stopped on a bridge in Metropolis, and her body underwater. Her chauffeur was supposedly 'in shock' because she had wanted to see the river and 'got to close.'. What makes it worse is that Metropolis PD is closing the investigation."

"What, she's Patricia Swann for crying out loud!" Xander bellowed, and saw his friends cringe. He immediately stepped back.

"I know, something smells fishy about this. It's giving me the wiggins."

Xander sighed. "I want to go to Metropolis, perform my own investigation. Something's not right. Patricia was a great swimmer, an Olympic-level diver. She _doesn't_ drown."

Buffy looked at him, and to Willow. The redhead stood, "we figured you might. We've already ordered three tickets on the first charter out."

"Three?" Xander asked. Willow gave him, "the look". "Yes, three. You didn't think we were letting you go, ALONE, did you?"

Xander looked embarrassed for a moment before he said, "thanks, guys."

Willow simply sighed.

* * *

Their plane took off three hours late due to an unexpected thunder-storm that grounded all flights due to inclement weather. Their flight attendant was a bitch, and their in-flight entertainment consisted of a bad comedian who couldn't joke his way out of a wet paper bag.

So, when they landed at Metropolis International Airport, it was with a sigh of relief the three Scoobies departed. The sun was shining over the streets of Metropolis, the skies an eerie shade of blue.

And, yet, as they looked, all they could see was the city where one of their own, "had an accident".

The press was gathered, having a field-day over something or another, as they went through check-out. On their way out, they overheard what.

Apparently, Patricia left the remaining balance of her estate, excluding a few stocks that went to a research partner of her late father's, to one Alexander LaVelle Harris. They'd found he was on the flight, and wanted an interview.

"They're like pitbulls on a pantleg," Buffy commented.

"Yeah, well at least we dressed down today. I can't see the Xanman getting away like this if we were dressed like they seem to think we are."

Xander sighed, his breath leaving him. As they went through customs, presenting their passports, the three were rushed through. The security officer then turned to Xander and said, "we are sorry about your loss. If you wish to leave, call the airport ahead of schedule, and we'll have your plane ready."

It was as they were leaving that the statement really caught up to them.

"A plane, you have a freaking plane? How weird is that, Xander?" Buffy asked. He looked at her, and shook his head, before admitting, "I guess I'm footing the hotel bill?"

The women on either side of him grinned, before both frowned simultaneously, remembering why Xander had the ability to do that.

"Sorry Xander," Willow admitted, "the craziness of it caught up."

He sighed, and as they hailed a taxi off to the side, said, "I know, Wills, I know."

They piled into the taxi, Buffy telling the driver that they were setup at the Meriott Hotel.

"So, what are we going to do first?" Buffy asked as she closed the divider, ensuring they had semi-silence. Willow turned to Xander, an expectant look on her face. He looked at the ground, sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I honestly have no idea. I haven't had the courage to listen to her last voice mail, yet. I think we need to start there, and work our way out."

Buffy nodded, and Xander pulled out his phone. He dialed in his seven-digit password. Pressing the button to activate the speakerphone, he held it out and listened as her last message was sent out.

_"Xander, if you're getting this message, I've died. I know, I know. It isn't the best way to start out the last message you hope to never give, and I hope I'm there with you, listening and laughing at how utterly naive I can be._

But, more than likely, I'm not and for that, I'm eternally sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this you know. I wasn't supposed to be friends with a group of Vampire hunters, or get involved with the Watcher's Council. My father "expressly forbid it". I especially wasn't supposed to entertain thoughts of marriage, and yes I was hoping to marry you Alexander LaVelle Harris.

But, I digress. As I send this, I'm leaving a town three hours to the south named Smallville. It has a population of 45,001 and is home to many things. One of these things is the reason I was in Smallville, investigating a group of people my father used to run, made up of the Queens, Teagues, Luthors and us, the Swann's. The group was called Veritas, and if my suspicions are correct, Lionel Luthor is now the sole-surviving member.

I don't have much time left, now. These things only give you five minutes of space, and knowing you, I'll be using four minutes with this message alone.

They were waiting for a man called the Traveler, a being from space that is supposed to bring about a 'golden age.' I just met the Traveler, and gave him something that my father worked on for years. The Traveler accepted this, and gave me a hug, wishing me a safe journey. I'll make this clear, the Traveler didn't kill me. He's to noble, too kind.

I'm getting the signal now, Xander. Before I go, I just want to tell you.. I love you."

To save this message, press 2. To erase it, press 3... This message will be saved for fourteen days.

As the message ended, Xander looked up, tears in his single eye. With a sob, Xander leaned into the phone, and whispered, "I love you too, Patty."

As the car continued down the crowded, busy streets of Smallville, Xander looked out and sighed. He missed seeing the Traveler by half a second.

_End, Chapter_


	4. Room and Board

Veritas ****

Veritas

**CHAPTER Four: Room and Board**

"Is this it?" Xander asked, incredulously. The small town was even more rustic than Sunnydale, in his opinion. Why anyone would choose to live here, let alone _COME_ to this dreary little town was impossible to tell. Willow looked at him.

"Is this it? Yes Xander, this is the town we traveled for **TEN HOURS** to come too. Honestly, with a name like Smallville, how could you expect anything less?"

Xander looked at the irritable red-head. Her eyes were doing that red-glowy thing that he used to find so endearing when they'd first met, until he h learned that it was her magic reacting to irritation. He turned to the rental's other occupant, the blond Vampire Slayer he used to love years ago, who was sleeping, her body lain across the back seat. She had the right idea, he thought, sleep while the sleeping's good, and then who cares?

"Well, I guess it's time to get down and dirty." Xander said, glibly running his hand across his hair, slicking it back and off of the eyepatch he wore.

Willow turned to him, "I'll find us a room, you go find somewhere to start asking questions. Don't be too obvious, I don't wanna go all witch-y making people forget we were here."

Xander nodded, and felt a sense of completion fill him. He saw _the Talon_ which Patricia had told him about during one of their last phone calls, with its affluent Egyption motif, and sighed. He walked over to the coffeeshop, knowing two certain women that'd appreciate a good latte, and decided to start his investigation there.

He entered, watching as the crowds silenced watching him enter. It was something he'd seen often enough, having sat on the other side of the bench before himself, and had never expected to experience. He walked over to the counter, a petit brunette behind the counter serving a latte to the blond girl in front of him.

She turned, and he barely dodged her hasty exit, before turning wide-eyed toward the countermaid.

"Welcome to _the Talon_, I'm Linda. What can I get you?"

Xander looked at her and nodded, "I'm Xander, my two friends are coming in within minutes, I'd like two double mochas and a single latte please."

The girl looked at him, and said, "alright, I'll try to have them ready before you friends get here. Have a seat, and I'll bring them when they're ready."

He nodded, issuing a heartfelt "thank you" before he turned. He went toward the only empty booth in the store, the crowds finally beginning their previously interrupted conversations as he went. It was only a few minutes later when Buffy came in, her eyes red from the sleep-induced rubbing she always did after waking. Willow was next, dressed in a fresh change of clothes, blue jeans and a white and blue t-shirt.

"So, anything useful happen while we were finding a place to sleep?" Buffy asked. Xander smiled as Linda came up to them, setting the caffinated-goodness on the table and said, "sorry, one of our regulars is running late for work and needed an express order."

Xander looked at her and shrugged, "it's good, they just arrived as is. No harm."

Linda sighed in relief, handing them a receipt to be paid on exit before saying, "enjoy."

Buffy had perked instantly, the smell of coffee filling her with unused energy as she took her first sip. She turned to Willow, a wide-eyed expression on her face and a smile on her lips. Xander looked at the witch-y best friend beside him, who had a blissful expression on her face, and said, "well, that's absolutely what I wanted, thanks Xander."

He nodded, before saying, "I figure we can rest and start investigating tomorrow."

"Investigating?" a masculine voice said, standing behind Buffy. She shot out of her chair faster than Xander had ever seen and turned, looking at the man. He was tall, his hair looking like it had just gotten off of the pillow. His shoulders looked like they could carry _two_ Buffy's, and a couple of Willow's to boot.

Xander hated him already.

"Sorry, it's none of my business, I have this habit of sticking my nose in other's business."

"Don't worry, it's pretty easy to loo... eavesdrop in here." Buffy said, a grin on her face at her slip. The man smiled, before reaching for her hand, "Clark Kent, are you Willow Rosenberg, Mister Jenkins next door sent me."

The blonde shook her head, "nope, the redhead's Will, I'm Buffy, the sleepy one."

"Sorry, anyway, Mister Jenkins said you folks were looking for a place to sleep for a couple days, and the hotel was closed."

Willow stood, "yes Mister Kent, why'd he send you, though?"

"My farm is a few miles out of town, and I'm the only one staying there at the moment. It's got a two bedrooms free, and an open couch."

"Thanks," Xander said, "but why you, exactly."

Clark blushed, and walked over. "I'm not sure exactly. Like I said, the hotel's full, with all the reporters in town looking for any clue about Patricia Swann's death, and the farm has always had an open door policy when it comes to stragglers. He figured I wouldn't mind."

"And you don't?" Xander asked, making absolutely sure. Clark smiled, "Clark Kent, I'd be honored if you'd stay at the farm."

"Xander Harris," he caught the man's look and frowned at the slight panic, "these are my best friends, Willow and Buffy."

"Well, I'll leave instructions for you to get to the farm, I need to go and make the other rooms presentable. I'll also tell her to have Chloe or Lois bring you out should they come back in."

Xander nodded and as he left, he said, "well, I guess we're gonna be stuck in the land of cowpies for a couple of days."

"They're such nice cowpies," Buffy said absently, then blinked before saying, "where'd he go?"

Willow laughed and said, "we'll figure that out once we get settled in."

"Well, might as well see what the yokels are saying about the new strangers in town."

"Let's," Buffy said. _Chapter, End_


	5. The Investigation Begins

Veritas ****

Veritas

**CHAPTER Five: The Investigation Begins**

Linda stood, her brunette hair swinging wildly as Xander walked over to pay for their coffees. She waved him off, with a polite, "Clark took care of it," and handed him a slip of paper. He frowned, and took the paper, when Willow said, "Xander?"

"Yeah Wills?"

"Are we going now? Cause Buffy looks agitated, and you know what they say."

Xander nodded, walked over and picked up the bag he'd brought in. "It says here that the Kent farm is five miles down Highway 35. Linda, which way is Highway 35?"

The teen looked at him and said, "you'll wanna go left out of the lot, and turn right at the end of the street until you find KTML radio and TV station. Hook left in front of KTML and you'll head straight for the Kent's Farm. If Clark isn't home, you can just head on in, everyone does. If you go past the Cementary, you've gone to far."

The trio exchanged a look, and Buffy's eyes crossed. "How far do they live from the cementary, exactly?

"Less than a half-a-mile. Don't worry though, graverobbing doesn't happen in these here parts." Linda answered with a laugh.

They laughed nervously, and Xander grabbed the keys from his red-headed friend. "I'll drive, Wills. You and the Buffster get some shut-eye and I'll wake you when we get there."

Considering the saying, "Corn as high as an elephants eye" was referring to Oklahoma, people obviously had never driven anywhere near the leafy little hamlet known as Smallville, Kansas. For as far as the eye could see, corn and wheat extended in every direction. It was so much corn, that Xander was surprised that more people hadn't come here for popcorn festivals, but no one had _ever_ mentioned the _Smallville Corn Festival_ before.

They'd passed KTML about five minutes ago, and the sun was beginning to set on Smallville. It was getting cold, the storm they'd rushed to beat had caught up with them some time ago, when a golden retriever ran out into the road.

Xander hurriedly applied pressure to the brakes, the squeal of the tires and jerking of the car jaring his friends awake. The retriever was on the other side of the car, and about to make a return trip, and Xander knew that there'd be no missing it, should that happen.

"Shelby, NO!" a voice boomed, making the retriever come to a sudden and abrup halt. Xander had barely missed him as it was, the car they had rented was caught in the ditch inches from the poor animal. Ironically enough right across from the sign that read, "KENT FARM".

"I'm so sorry about him, Shelb's been couped up for the last week. The storms have been pretty bad and he just got excited. Did you make it alright?"

Xander nodded, and Clark said, "put it in neutral, and I'll push you out."

"This is a heavy car, Clark."

"I bale hay for a living, I can push this, trust me, I've done it for my Truck before."

Xander looked at him carefully, but shrugged and put the car in neutral, and was surprised that it moved so easily. Clark was behind him, pushing but not really exerting himself, and yet they were off of the hill quicker than Buffy dusting a newly risen vamp.

He turned the ignition, and sped into the driveway, stopping to see if Clark was coming with, but noticed him cutting through the hay and rhudabakas to the side of them. At least, he thought they may be rhudabakas, after all this was a farm. All farms should have rhudabakas. The car pulled into the driveway and Clark stepped out of the rhudabaka patch seconds later.

He walked up to the door and turned the knob, without entering the key whatsoever, and the mat on the door said, "welcome". A vampire's all-you-can-eat.

"Wills, Buffster, we're here."

Buffy was alert, her puffy eyes searching the horizon and said, "where? I don't see him."

"Buffy?" Willow asked, a slight smile on her face. Buffy blushed, "sorry, weird dream."

Xander looked at her funnily and she said, "not a Slayer-type dream, just a regular... girl-type... full of shoes and dresses."

Xander sighed, and raised the trunk of the car, reaching in and grabbing his bag. Clark was back now, and grabbed two for each hand, leaving one for Buffy and Willow each. Buffy's eyes narrowed, watching how easily he lifted the bag that had her stakes in it, but shrugged it off, as she eyed his muscle-y back.

"Buffy's got a crush" Willow said when Clark went inside and Xander looked back to see her face alight.

"Willow, I don't... he's just... hot."

Willow smirked, "personally, I thought Linda was hot, but too each her own."

They entered the farmhouse as a triangle, the door wide enough to accomodate Clark's overly large frame making it simple for Xander to enter before both Willow and Buffy. The living room was sweet, warm and homey with the staircase right inside the front door. To their left was the living room, and to their right was a walk-in closet. Down the hall from the staircase was the kitchen where another door could be seen, and an island that stood in the center of all that.

The wood looked new, like the house was almost newly built, even though the townspeople swore the Kent's were one of the oldest families in the area.

"Nice place," Buffy said, her eyes moisted over as unshed tears fell down her eyes. Willow turned to her, as she said, "it looks like our place in good ol' SunnyD."

Willow nodded and waited, as Clark came down the stairs.

"Well, make yourselves at home. The master bedroom is upstairs and is the largest one... my mom's in Washington for a conference with the Senate, and said that anyone that needs it can stay there. The guest bedroom is beside my room, and the couch pulls into a bed. If you want anything in the refridgerator, there's plenty of food."

"Food?" Buffy asked, "yay!" and pushed past them, heading to the kitchen. Clark looked at her in unmasked amusement, wondering if she was always that weird. He looked to Xander, who merely sighed and said, "when Buffy hears about food, she sort of... forgets about anyone else."

Clark choked on his laughter, as she glared towards them.

"Well, I've got to be up in the morning for chores. Early to bed, early to rise." Clark said, "good night".

"Wait, you're leaving? You don't want to tell us what's off limits?" Xander asked. Clark looked at him in unmasked amusement. "I need to introduce you to Lois Lane."

The now a duo looked to each other and at the man himself before saying, "so, your mom's a Senator?"

Clark smiled. "Yeah, she was elected to the State Senate two years ago, and was the lead replacement for Senator Burke when he died last year. She lives in Washington."

"And she pays for all of this?" Xander asked, "was it rebuilt? The structure looks brand new?"

"Are you in architecture?" Clark asked the man. Xander blushed, "I used to be. After I lost my eye, I was hired to Swann..." he stopped off and Clark nodded.

"I heard that someone was in town looking into her death. I was surprised to hear about that, after she dropped off Doctor Swann's research notes on the Kewatche Language, I assumed she was going back to England."

"You worked for Virgil Swann?" Xander asked, and Clark shook his head, "no... with. A few years ago, I rediscovered a set of Native American caves and the language thought lost hundreds of years ago. When I began studying the language, I noticed patterns and nuiances in them that experts in the fields said didn't exist. Doctor Swann contacted me, and together we disciphered the text. Patricia dropped off his research notes and a portion of money that he collected when he notified the International Council of Watchers that the language was readable.

She said that he insisted that it be given to me, and left it in his will, but that she'd only just recently tracked me down."

Xander smiled. "That's my Patty, always doing the right thing."

"I am sorry to hear about your loss, Mister Harris, if there's anything I can do."

Xander sighed and said, "yeah, but we can talk about that tomorrow. I'm to tired for anything else right now."

Clark nodded and turned to the stairs, and said, "good night." before turning and walking up the staircase. Before he was out of sight, Clark said, "I didn't know Patricia that well, but I considered Virgil one of my friends. If you need any help finding out what happened to her, you know where to find me."

_Chapter, End_


	6. Start of a New Day

**Veritas**

**CHAPTER Six: Start of a New Day**

The Rooster's Crow woke the three weary travelers at dawn the next morning, the early morning light just breaking over the horizon. The sky was a myriad of colors, blues, purples and oranges being the most frequent, and too them it was a sight not often seen.

Their host was upstairs, he'd finished with his chores about ten minutes after they'd gotten up, claiming that after years of working on the farm, timing was the all-important ingredient in a days work.

The shower was taking longer than the work itself.

Xander had just began frying the bacon, Willow was making the eggs and Buffy the toast and praying she didn't burn it, the three coming to a sort of silent agreement that they'd not burden their host by hoping he'd cook for them too, when the door swung open and two blonde haired women came rushing through.

The first one was wearing a blue outfit with a red studded belt. She had a silver bracelet on her arm with an odd symbol that Xander recognized as Kewatche.

"Where's Clark?" the second girl asked as she entered, she wore a business suit of a pale yellowish variety. She was looking at the group with something akin to confusion and journalisitic curiousity.

"He's upstairs taking a shower." Buffy answered and he could tell she was already on the defensive. The taller of the two women nodded and walked toward the stairs, when Xander said, "whoa, where're you going?"

"To see Kal-El," she said as if it were the most informative thing she'd said all day. The three exchanged a glance, before the second said, "Sorry, she means Clark. She's recovering from short-term amnesia, and Clark's her cousin. Kal-El was a nickname he had when they were little."

"Cousin?" the Buffster said hopefully, and Xander inwardly groaned.

"Yes, Clark", the taller of the two women said stressing their hosts name, "is my cousin. I'm Kara Kent," she said.

"And I'm Chloe Sullivan," the second one said, "I've known Clark since we were both thirteen."

The trio nodded, and Kara broke away from their grasp before running upstairs, "Kal-El get out of the shower!"

A heavy thump came from upstairs, and a voice shouted, "KARA! Don't come in here!"

Chloe giggled. Buffy looked upstairs in unmasked amusement and Willow looked at the stairs thoughtfully.

"You know, I thought a house full of Slayers-in-Training was going to be rough," Xander said under his breath.

"Kara!" a voice said, as the woman ran downstairs and said, "he's coming."

And he was, Clark was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a blue shirt with a red vest over that. He looked at Kara, and her nearly matching ensemble before saying, "that definately runs in the family."

The two looked at him in utter confusion before Xander shrugged.

"Kara are you alright?" Clark asked the woman before them. She nodded, "Chloe helped me, she took me to see a specialist and he helped me unlock my memories."

Xander looked at them, and back to the women who were staring at her discombobulatedly, well Buffy anyway. Willow still had that thoughtful look on her face as if she were working up the courage to ask them something.

"I'm glad you're back." Clark said, hugging the woman with a large smile on his face. He turned to Xander, who had turned back to the bacon in time to save it from burning and said, "do you need help with that?"

Xander turned, and shook his head, before saying, "can we ask a few question?"

Clark nodded and the man smiled. "Thanks. Well, first, what did Patricia do while she was in Smallville. Did she go see anyone, or just come here and straight back?"

Clark exchanged a look with Chloe and slightly shook his head before turning to him and saying, "i'm not exactly where all she went in Smallville. She was in town for at least a couple of hours before she came to the farm. I was indisposed," he shuddered at some hidden memory and Kara winced.

"Anyway, she was waiting for me when I came back to the farm. I know she'd went to see both Luthor's before she came to see me but I couldn't tell you what they talked about."

Xander nodded. "I heard rumors that you were friends with Oliver Queen," Xander began, "I've never met him, but Patty said that she was fairly certain that Oliver was an alright guy. Do you think he had anything to do with her death?"

Chloe stood to defend him, and was waved down by Clark, Buffy noticed. He turned back to them and said, "I promise you that Oliver had nothing to do with Patricia. Oliver isn't in the country. He's in Egypt I think, doing some relief efforts over there."

"Actually, he's in Addis Ababa now," Chloe said, "that's what I was trying to tell you when I came over. He called in this morning and said the Egypt situation was coming along, and that the relief sights had been set up."

Clark nodded.

"Addis Ababa?" Xander asked and Clark turned, "it's in Northwestern Africa, in the country of Ethopia."

The trio stared at him, as Chloe cleared her throat and dug her elbow into his ribs. He shifted imperceptibly, and if it weren't for Buffy doing the same thing on occassion, they wouldn't have noticed.

"Clark," Chloe said, "can I speak to you outside?"

Clark nodded, "yeah, sure Chloe. Look," he then turned to his guests, "if you want to investigate her _accidental death_," Clark said, making quote marks, "then I'd start with the Luthors. Yesterday, I'd have said start with Lex, but lets just say that things have come to light about Lionel, and I don't trust him as much as I did."

Buffy looked at Xander and said, "I think we'll do that. We'll be back later. Thanks for letting us stay here," she then took his hand and nodded before they went upstars.

_End_


	7. The Two Alexanders

ï»¿

**Veritas**

**CHAPTER SEVEN: THE TWO ALEXANDERS**

The eerie chill that had settled over the trio upon arriving at the vast Luthor estate was somewhat settled by the time they actually made it to the front door.

The castle, for there was nothing else the large stone structure could be, was old, ancient. The secrets it held, both in its past life and now, echoed through the halls like a ghost singing, "woe is me".

The man that met them at the large double doors of the castle was large, his eyes were narrowed in a way that seemed to speak of instant death the second one of them stepped out of line.

"Good evening," the man said, and they looked at each other. Xander sighed and stepped forward, and extended his hand. "Alexander LaVelle, I'm sure you can tell Mister Luthor I'm here to see him?"

The man's eyes widened momentarilly but he gruffly nodded and said, "right this way, Mister Luthor _is_ expecting you."

They exchanged curious looks as he led them through the winding maze that was the halls... no corridors of the castle they found themselves in. They were led to a large inner office, though to be totally honest you could fit an entire house in the room itself, where a bald man no older than thirty years of age sat with a brandy in his hand.

He closed the laptop on the desk in front of him as they entered and stood, his eyes sweeping over the three visitors.

"Lex Luthor." the man said, "I'm sorry to hear about Patricia, I was surprised when I'd heard of her accident... but I can't help but be curious. Why did the new CEO of Swann Industries decide to come to Smallville?"

"Xander Harris," the man said, and Lex's eye rose dramatically as he too the offered hand. "And, to be honest, Patricia's death wasn't an accident. So, I'm in Smallville to see who killed my fiance."

The man smiled, the gesture looking weird on a man with no facial hair whatsoever, as he offered the three of them a glass and said, "would you like something to drink. I can only assume that, because you're here, you've already been to Clark's and have been given the sordid details of my life."

"Actually," Buffy said, "the only thing Clark said is that he didn't think her death was an accident."

Lex turned and sighed, "and people wonder why we can't be friends. It's surprising that Clark wouldn't take the oppurtunity to slander me to people new to Smallville. After the problems he and Kara have had recently, I was shocked when she decided to leave this morning."

Xander nodded, but didn't make a comment. Instead, he took a sip of the brandy sitting in front of him, and said, "do you mind if we ask you a few questions, Mister Luthor? I'm sure you understand that we want to get to the bottom of Patricia's death as quickly as possible. We understand that you spoke to her."

The bald man sat down again, having given the three of them the brandy and crossed his fingers, sitting his palms against his chest. He nodded, and said, "Patricia and I were friends in our youth. Our parents were part of a secret society that was formed to... match the Watcher's Council, which I'm sure you've heard of."

The three people tensed noticably and Lex smiled. "I'm not sure of the specifics, but they were waiting for a person of great power, detailed on the Kewatche Caves as a man that fell from the sky, had the strength of ten men, could shoot fire from his eyes and was considered a god. As you can tell, anyone with a significant amount of power and influence would want such a person.

The group Patrica's father formed was created to fight the Watcher's on discovering them. He was called," Lex faded off, as if trying to create a dramatic ending to a childs tale.

"The Traveler, we know." Willow stated, "we've already seen her research on the Traveler, we also know that she saw you before her death, and that you were the last person to see her alive. So, could you shed some light on that?"

Xander looked at her and winced, "she's got her Resolve face..." and shut up as she glared his way.

"As I said, Patricia and I were merely reminescing about old times. But I wonder, if Clark didn't tell you about our meeting... then how did you know?"

"She left a voice message," Xander said, "on my phone. Said that she'd come from your house. We're simply curious, Mister Luthor."

He nodded, "well, I can assure you that I've not had anything to do with her death. If you... need any assistance, the entire resources of LuthorCorp are at your disposal."

Xander stood, and said, "thank you for your time."


	8. The Daily Planet

ï»¿

**Veritas**

**CHAPTER EIGHT: The Daily Planet**

They exited the large, stone castle ten minutes after concluding business with the bald billionaire, and were not happy with the results.

"Is it me, or is there a lot more to this story than the fact that Patricia was killed?" Xander asked, turning to the friends beside him. Willow frowned. "What do you mean, Xander?"

"It's just something Luthor said," he said. "Almost like he knew who we were, and why we were there before we'd gotten down to asking the questions."

They nodded and he sighed, "you don't think that he's keeping tabs on Clark or anyone, do you?"

"It's possible, Xander." Willow said, "especially if they don't know it. But, why?"

"I don't know, but he was awfully confident that Clark was going to bad-mouth him. It's funny, it's almost as if he expected it."

"I think that they were friends at one time, and aren't anymore," Buffy said, confidence in her voice. "They must have had a fight, because they clearly aren't on the same page anymore."

"So, that was a bust," Willow said. Xander nodded. "Where should we go next?"

"I think we should go to the _Daily Planet_," Buffy said. "They're a respected newspaper, so they might have some info on our dead Slay-sis."

Xander nodded, and revved the engine of their rent-a-car, before they sped off towards Metropolis.

Two blurs passed them moving faster than their eyes could see, and again they barely missed seeing the Traveler.

The _Daily Planet_ was abuzz with information, as the reporters moved about, taking their copy to editing, down to printing, or having the office "gofer" do any miscellaneous thing.

As the doors opened to the thirteenth floor, Willow and Xander moved inside quickly drawing all attention to their charismatic entrance. Buffy entered behind them at a more sedate pace, and walked toward the stairs for archives, and went passed them with no trouble at all.

She approached the room where all back copies of the world-wide newspaper were kept, and pulled up the correct copy from days ago, detailing the death of Patricia Swann.

Prominent Metropolis Citizen Dies a Suspicious Death, she read, and said, "huh?" She looked at the byline and said, "Lois Lane, where've I heard that name before?"

"I don't know," a distinctly feminine voice said from behind her, "it could be from my father, Sam. He's a general, and is always talking about me on the TV."

Buffy turned, and saw a brunette standing there, her brown eyes narrowed. "That was a pretty slick move, it usually takes more than a newly instated Billionaire to draw the attention of the entire _Daily Planet_ bullpen."

The Slayer turned, her eyes now narrowed, and said, "who are you again?"

"Lois Lane," she said.

"How did you know?"

"After growing up a military brat, you get use to deception techniques, I spotted that from a mile away. Ingenious though, using Alexander Harris as a cover? So, want to tell me why the recent Billionaire is having his lackey sneak into the archives?"

"I'm not Xander's lackey," Buffy glared, "I'm one of his best friends."

Lois stared at her, and said, "yeah, I know. I recognized you earlier. My sources say you're investigating Patricia Swann's death, what brings you here?"

"That's classified," Buffy warned, and the brunette laughed, "please, if it was military, I'd just ask daddy," she said, "but since you don't have the ability to label anything classified, or Top Secret, then I guess you're lying. In that case, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"You don't want to even try," Buffy warned.

Just then, Whitesnake filled the room, as her cell rang and Lois sighed. Buffy stared, "you listen to Whitesnake?"

"Doesn't everybody?" Lois asked, then sighed. She picked her phone and flipped it open. "Not a good time, Cous."

"Lois," a voice nearly shrilled, and Buffy's ears perked as she recognized it.

"Oh," Buffy said, "you're the one that Clark mentioned."

Lois said, "call you right back, Cous." she hung up the phone and said, "what about Smallville?"

"We're staying at the farm," Buffy said, "it's a professional courtesy. His mom," she said, but Lois said, "yeah, Senator Kent. I was her temporary Chief of Staff a year ago, I know Mrs. K."

"Oh, well," Buffy said, and Lois sighed, "look, if you're staying with Smallville," she said, "I guess you can't be too bad. He's got a nose for these things, and if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it for the rest of my life."

Buffy looked at her and said, "thanks. I'll be quick. What can you tell me about Patricia's death?"

"What can you tell me about why she'd leave the Swann Estate to a no-name."

Buffy sighed, "this is totally off the record."

Lois nodded. "Xander was going to propose to Patricia, and she'd already implied she was more than ready to accept. Her death hit him... hard."

The brunette sighed, her head lowered and she said, "sorry. All of my sources say that she called Lionel incessantly the past few months. She was trying to track someone down, and Lionel indicated that he had control of them recently. She was going to take this person back to Europe with her, but was killed before she could."

Buffy groaned. "Do you know where all she went when she was in Smallville. We're trying to track all of her movements."

Lois nodded, "we know for a fact that she went to the local LuthorCorp plant and met with Lionel there. We know she spent about five hours at the Kent Farm and we think that she went to both Smallville High School and the Talon. We also know that she spent a while with Lex, and that it was after she left the Luthor Castle that she was murdered."

"Murdered, not accidentally drowned?"

Lois laughed. "Like I said, Military Brat. I competed with Patricia when we both lived in Germany about ten years ago, she was an expert swimmer then. There's no way she's going to drown in twenty-feet of water."

Buffy grinned. "Can you come out to the farm tonight? We'd love to talk to you more about this and I'm guessing that we can't really talk here."

"Not upstairs," Lois said, "our new bald prince has bugged the entire building. The only places he hasn't put bugs are in here and in the men's bathrooms."

Buffy stared at her, and she said, "it's just one of the useful tools that daddy gave me before I left the nest. It can check for bugs. I wear it all the time."

"I'll try and remember that," Buffy stated. "I'll go get Xander and we'll meet you out at Clark's place. Can you stay there tonight?"

"Sure, anything to aggrevate Smallville again, he's going to so hate you come tomorrow" the brunette said, and turned, her hair flopping around to smack the other side of her face. "See ya around, blondie."

Buffy glared at the woman, pressed the scan/copy button on the copier and walked out of the room a few minutes after the brunette herself had left.

When she reached the downstairs, she tapped Xander and said, "time to go, Xanman."

Xander nodded, and grabbed Willow, who was talking to a bow-tie wearing man about some computer skill or other she'd picked up, and said, "come on, Wills."

As they exited the room, Lois passed in front of the blonde Slayer and said, "tell Chloe I said, 'hey'."

_Chapter, End_


	9. Lois

ï»¿

**Veritas**

**CHAPTER NINE: Lois**

To say the trip to the _Daily Planet_ was a bust would have been a gross understatement, as far as Xander was concerned. Sure, they'd found out that the bald billionaire was a voyeur, but after all the other crimes he'd committed and gotten away with, there wasn't much hope that Lex Luthor would be arrested for a crime ultimately minor in the grand scale of things.

Willow, at least, was excited to meet the woman that had caused their newest friend so many problems. When Buffy had told them of meeting the General's daughter, and that in this case General came with forty-thousand boys to babysit, it was all Xander could do to stop the red-head from running back into the newsroom to flirt.

Apparently, she'd been crushing for the Lane girls since she'd found out she preferred women over men.

The familiar sight of the yellow farmhouse pulled his attention from the wear and tear of his thoughts. It was pristine, the farm itself was nearly quiet, only the sounds of a yellow lab barking echoing through the distance from the porch breaking the serene quality that had so deeply drawn him in.

They pulled into the driveway, Buffy driving because his depth perception had been off since he'd woken in the early hours. He had a migraine the size of London. Though, to be fair, it seemed like the farm was as focused as his thoughs were not. There was a zen-like quality to the serenity that surrounded him.

If it weren't for the circumstances that brought them here, he'd be awe-struck.

As they piled out of the car, Xander looked towards the barn where Clark stood with the girl that claimed to be his cousin, though for the life of him, the family resemblance was nowhere to be seen.

She was waving her arms, and he swore she was yelling at him. For his part, Clark didn't seem to be taking it lying down, if the fact he was as red in the face as she was in the neck, was a clue.

Finally, she huffed at him, and stomped away. Xander grinned, walking back to the house, when a sonic boom sounded in the distance and he jerked around, surprised.

"What was that?" Xander exclaimed, as Clark, who was walking towards him, merely shrugged. "It happens sometimes, a jet taking off at Metropolis usually reaches sound barrier about here."

He nodded, accepting the answer, when Clark turned his eyes seeming staring out into the sky, before he turned. "How did the search go at the _Daily Planet_?"

"Not well," the man stated, "Luthor's playing Voyeur in the women's bathrooms, but that's about all he's doing. We did meet Lois Lane, and I hear from my very good friend Willow that she's very pretty."

Clark scoffed, his eyes shifting, before he said, "Lois? Pretty, as pretty as a tomboy with a danger fetish can be."

Xander smiled, his eyes turning towards the house, as he said, "Other than that, Lex Luthor doesn't seem to stink as much as you or Chloe said he would. He did seem to think you'd sent us there, though."

"He's good at that," Clark stated, "I was his best friend for years, and I didn't see what kind of person he was until it was too late. He lost my trust completely a few years ago for things that are too personal to mention. I didn't tell you because I don't want my feelings impeding your investigation, Xander."

Xander looked at him and nodded, his eyes searching Clark's too see if the man was telling the truth. "Alright. No problem."

Clark nodded, and went inside to start dinner.

Hours passed, and time went on as it seemed to do when the front door to the barnhouse shot open and Lois stepped in, throwing a bag onto the floor. Clark was cleaning up from dinner, a chore that seemed to go much slower when guests were around.

"Lois!" he said, "you're here... what a shame. I was just getting used to the quiet."

Around them, intrigued guests shifted their eyes back and forth, as Lois smiled, stepped forward and punched him in the arm. Only one person noticed the way he moved his arm at the exact point of contact.

And she was intrigued.

"Hey Smallville, didn't they tell you I was coming?"

Xander winced, his one eye closing as Clark's gaze turned to them, and seemed to burn, before the light of humor entered them for just a second. It hardened before he turned again, and smirked. "No, if they did, I would have had Shelby in here to greet you."

She glared at him, before she too smirked, "you know, Smallville, dog meat is a delicacy in China. I'd hate to see poor Shelby shipped overseas."

He sighed, before turning his gaze to her again. She smirked again, and turned, "so, I'm here to talk to Xander Harris. You realize of course, this will never make it into the _Daily Planet_ with Luthor Junior running things."

"We realize that, we have a friend in Gotham City and Star City that will publish the story for us." Willow said, her eyes visibly enjoying the sight of the older Lane girl. Clark's eyes widened as Lois turned, purposefully showing off her figure, before she turned and patted the seat and pulled Clark down by his wrist.

"What do you know so far," Lois asked. Xander looked at Clark a moment later, "we know that he seems distrustful. It was like he chose his words carefully before he said them, and mentioned Patricia's death like it wasn't accidental at all, but never actually said anything that could be proven."

"And how are you so sure it wasn't an accident," Lois again asked. Xander frowned, but Clark said, "she isn't doing this as an interview. Believe it or not, Lois has one of the best analytical minds I know, She can recite passages from "the Art of War" like her dad."

Xander breathed in relief. "Patricia was an Olympic-level swimmer and had her diving credentials before she was old enough to drive. There's no way she drowns in a river after 'falling' in."

Lois nodded, "that's what my research showed. That's what made me suspicious in the first place. Like I told blondie there, I met her in Germany about ten years ago, swimming competition. We were best friends, until daddy got restationed, and Uncle Virgil decided to lock himself away in the observatory.

It was his recommendation I come to Smallville personally after Chloe was thought to be dead that brought me here."

"Virgil did that?" Clark asked, "I thought you came to find Chloe's killer."

"So-called," a voice from outside said, as she entered. "Hey cous," before she sat down on Lois' other side.

"Back up," Willow stated, "your cousins? Killer?"

"My mom Moira was Lois' mom Ellen's sister. And yeah, I turned witness for the feds on Lionel Luthor a few years ago, he had my safehouse blown up."

"Anyway, yeah Uncle Virgil said I should come here, that I'd, 'meet my soulmate'. He was really weird about it, kept mentioning, "the Traveler" the entire time and said, "that I'd never suspect who it was."

Chloe's eyes widened, and her eyes lit up as if she knew something they didn't, while Clark stood and said, "this is turning way to deep, Lois. You want some coffee?"

Her head jerked, "coffee?"

He smiled, before walking to the kitchen. Chloe followed a second later, a gale of laughter echoing in her wake.

For some reason, Lois didn't seem as bothered as she should be.

"So, how's Ollie doing?" she asked, surprising them. "He told me you were coming, and that I should make my friendship with her known."

"You know Oliver Queen, too?" Xander asked. Lois smirked, "know him, I dated him."

No one missed Willow's frown of displeasure.

"He's good. We'll tell him you asked," Xander said. "So, what about you. Find anything?"

"No, but Daddy said he was interested in getting to the bottom of this as soon as possible. He wants to know who killed 'his darlin' Patty".

"Wow," Xander said, "any help is greatly appreciated."

_End_


	10. Facade

10. Facade

**Veritas**

Chapter Ten: Facade

Buffy woke the next morning to the roosters crow, watching as their host moved silently out the front door. She sighed, hating herself for having to do what she was about too, but knowing that it was for everyone's own good.

As silently as possible, she opened the window, wincing as it let off the smallest of squeals, and walked out, into the open air. She watched as Clark walked into the barn, before dropping down and into a forward roll, before she got to her knees and then to her feet, walking toward the barn as silently as possible.

She was barely there when she first heard them, two voices; one masculine, the other feminine, speaking in a language that she'd not heard before. And, considering Dawn's gift for languages, that was saying something.

She crept closer to the barn, listening as Kara, whose voice was now in a recognizable language, English, said, "no Kal-El, you must articulate as precisely as possible."

Clark sighed, and Buffy frowned as she wondered why they were arguing about pronouncing one of those made-up languages that kids make up.

"It's not as easy as Virgil said it would be, Kara. He seemed to think I'd pick it up naturally with some instruction."

She nodded, "you have, so far. But until now, Kewatche wasn't a priority to learn, verbally at least. You have to remember, you only deciphered the key to reading the ancient language, not speaking it. You have to learn a new way of thinking, on top of reading it too."

Clark sighed, and Buffy smiled, as she walked away.

It wasn't until she was inside the house that she realized, somehow, they knew that she was there and played her.

One thing she did know, though, was that Xander wasn't going to like this.

And, indeed he didn't, hours later as they sat surrounding the kitchen table, Xander looked at Willow and Buffy, who was explaining what she'd heard that morning.

"Are you sure, Buff?" he asked, his eye closing in concentration. Buffy nodded, "they started talking about Kewatche as soon as I arrived, Xander, and it was Kara, not Clark."

He sighed, turning to Willow who was concentrating. "Well, I guess we can always just... ask them when they get here?"

She flinched at Xander's look of incredulity, and realized what it sounded like. "It's just that, they've been really nice to us. Even when we were in Sunnydale, the Big Bad's always showed their true colors."

"True, but this isn't a Hellmouth, Will" Buffy stated, her eyes hardening. "Even their Cemetary is inactive. Something about the ground here makes the one or two Vampires I've seen want to run away. They're terrified of something more powerful than the Slayer, and literally beg me to slay them."

"You've been patrolling?" Xander asked. She nodded. "Yeah, we're way to close to a cemetary to make me feel safe. But the few Vamps that do rise are small, and only the Master that's turning them seem to be unafraid of whatever's going on here."

"Look the best thing we can do is give Clark the benefit of the doubt," Willow stated, "you're the one that's..." she said, but Buffy said, "I know what I heard, and what I saw, Willow."

"I'm not saying you don't Buffy, but well, this is a small town, if we go accusing one of their locals, we'll never get anywhere in our investigation."

Xander nodded, and Buffy seemed to deflate. They'd not had that problem in Sunnydale, and technically, the town was about the same size as Smallville.

"Alright," she said, "I guess we can ask them, politely."

"Look," Willow said, trying to soothe her friend, "what does your Slaydar say, Buffy? Does Clark give you the wiggins?"

"No, but that doesn't mean he's clean, either."

Willow sighed, "it could all be one giant facade, you know?"

"That's what I'm afraid of," Buffy stated.

-----------

Meanwhile, a hundred or so miles above the city of Smallville, Clark was being held by Kara as she floated in the upper atmosphere.

Their conversation had been cut off frantically, as Kara, who had been staring through the wall, noticed Buffy's approach.

Clark, for all his fears of heights, had no problem with the thin air surrounding them, as his heart-beat slowed and he murmured, "I haven't been this high since I dismantled that Nuke."

She grinned at him, and said, "see, you're alright even here, where the air is so thin that most people can't survive. Surely you realize, Kal-El, that flying is part of you."

Clark frowned, "I'm not saying it isn't Kara, but is this really the best time to be finding out?"

She nodded firmly, "yes, I cannot continue to help you unless you are willing to learn, Kal-El. There is no reason to be afraid."

He took a deep breath, something the upper atmosphere should have made impossible, as they moved carefully towards the Fortress of Solitude, where Clark would begin his training. She sighed, as the crystalline monstrousity was seen in the horizon.

"Look, Kal-El, I'm not saying you're right about them, but you are doing the right thing by helping. Sure, at the same time your protecting us, but we both know you didn't kill Patricia Swann, you're not that type of person, and until last week, I didn't even know I was Kara Zor-El, daughter of Zor-El."

He nodded, his eyes shifting over the frozen white ground below them, as Kara said, "now... fly!"

With that, she let go of his arm as Clark froze, his eyes watching the coming ground. She landed on the ground under him, and watched as he free-falled, before gravity caught up with him and forced him into the ground. The planet around them shook with his landing as Clark stood, anger penetrating his gaze.

"Don't be sore, Kal-El, you're uninjured, the ground is hurt, and as you can tell, your fear of death is more than irrational."

He glared again, as he stood, before he moved. Kara, expecting reprisal, shot into the air, taunting him with glee written on her face.

Clark growled, frustration in his voice as he _jumped_, far breaking the gravity that existed on Earth, and into the air. Kara, not to be deterred, moved _just_ out of his reach, and smiled as he fell, again, realizing what he'd just done.

"Kara, get down here!"

"As the people of this planet would say, Kal-El, catch me if you can!"

He growled again, and watched as Kara danced through the air, taunting him, before ever slowly his body lifted around him. His thoughts were a swirl of "get to Kara", his body followed.

She watched as he rose off of the ground, his eyes red-rimmed, as his body _lifted_ off of the ground, and into the air under a tight control that had Kara both elated and nervous. Suddenly, Clark was off like a rocket, long suppressed instincts taking over his mind as he moved his body towards his cousin.

She reacted a nanosecond before it was too late, and jetted off into the opposite direction, hoping he wouldn't be able to make such a narrow turn. And, to her relief, he wasn't.

She laughed as he nearly ran into a radio tower, his dense molecular structure blocking the signal being broadcast long enough to cause some listeners to turn off their radios.

He corrected his course just in time, though, missing it by inches, as Clark turned and blue, causing her to jettison out of control, as he sped off to catch her while off guard.

He tackled his cousin seconds later, as she had finally caught her second wind, and laughed as she said, "I'm proud of you, Kal-El!"

He smiled at her, and thanked her. Neither had missed the conversation taking place miles below, but were willing to put it up to them being worried and upset.

_End_


End file.
